VIDEO: CityStation a testament to Walter Uccellini's legacy

From left to right: Claude Rounds of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Michael Uccellini, Walter Uccellini, president and CEO of The United Group of Companies, then Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian, and Mark Streb, Capital District regional representative for New York state Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, prepare to cut the ribbon in front of the College Suites at CityStation North on Sixth Avenue in Troy on Sept. 21, 2011.

TROY -- Longtime developer Walter Frederick Uccellini, who died in a small plane crash off Van Vranken Road in Clifton Park Wednesday morning, was well known throughout the region not only for large-scale new construction and revitalization projects but also for his perseverance and vitality. He was 67.

Uccellini, who graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in management and in 1971 with a master's degree, went on to become the founder, CEO, and president of The United Group of Companies, a Troy-based real estate financer and developer. Through his company, Uccellini not only acquired $500 million in properties, but also managed 1.5 million square-feet, and 6,000 residential units.

Right out of college, Uccellini began investing in the city. One of his earliest projects was the Monument Square Apartments, across from the old City Hall. Steve Dworsky, a former city manager and councilman, worked with Uccellini on several of those early projects.

"He was never afraid to invest and he invested a lot of the City of Troy," said Dworsky. "Troy was better for it then and we are living on his legacy today."

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After developing many properties in Troy, Uccellini cast his sights to the greater Capital Region, and the state, directing numerous projects with a focus on student housing.

Uccillini was not only involved in the creation of the $60 million Empire Commons residence halls at the University of Albany, which were erected in 2002, but also College Suites projects in Cortland, Plattsburgh and Brockport, and Washington Square in Schenectady.

Among his many other projects, Uccillini created a mixed use building at the Saratoga Technology and Energy Park in Malta, worked on the restoration of the Kenmore Hotel on North Pearl Street in Albany, and built several buildings at the Rensselaer Technology Park in North Greenbush. He is also credited with the development of three local senior apartment complexes, Schaffer Heights in Schenectady, Diamond Rock Terrace in Troy and Hearthstone Village in Latham.

While he often focused on the Capital Region, Uccellini and The United Group were not averse to looking farther abroad, as with the Plattsburgh, Cortland, and Brockport College Suites. The company also performed some early work in Lake Placid for the 1980 Olympic Games.

Despite encountering some major troubles in the 1990s due to owing back taxes, both Uccellini and the United Group recovered, and in recent years had focused on creating positive public images.

According to former Troy mayor and current Rensselaer County Legislature Harry Tutunjian, "He took a chance on downtown Troy and the result is CityStation, a project that would be a credit in any city, and will hopefully serve as a foundation for future growth in downtown Troy and beyond. Walter told me he wanted to be remembered for CityStation, and viewed it as his chance to give back to Troy."

A vision of the elder Uccellini, the $160 million CityStation complex in Troy will focus on housing RPI graduate students. A mix of traditional and contemporary elements, the complex seeks to reflect the historic Victorian and brownstone styles present in downtown Troy and on the RPI campus. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of a new business in CityStation North occurred the same morning as the plane crash. Developmental direction of CityStation is currently in the hands of Uccellini's son, Michael. The CityStation development marked both Uccellini's and the United Group's return to Troy.